Aurangzeb hails Pharma boom, sets sights on $10bn exports

November 07, 2025 (MLN): Pakistan’s pharmaceutical exports rose 34% YoY, the fastest pace on record, as the government and industry leaders set their sights on boosting outbound sales to $10 billion through new reforms and a dedicated export body.

In a meeting with a high-level delegation of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association (PPMA), Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb hailed the sector’s export performance as “extraordinary” amid global headwinds. 

He noted that while global pharmaceutical growth is averaging around 5%, Pakistan’s domestic pharma sector is expanding at 18%, supported by strong local demand and an accelerating export base.

The PPMA delegation, led by Chairman Dr. Tahir Azam, along with Vice Chairman Athar Nazir Sheikh, Former Chairmen Mian Asad Shuja and Mian Khalid Misbah, and Executive Committee Members Aman Sheikh and Usman Shaukat, presented a detailed roadmap for scaling up the industry’s global footprint.

The delegation outlined plans for PharmEx Pakistan, a new public-private export platform that would coordinate strategies across the Ministries of Health, Commerce, and Finance, as well as TDAP and DRAP. 

The initiative aims to reach $3bn in exports within three years and $10bn over the next five, leveraging Pakistan’s growing manufacturing capacity and favorable regulatory environment.

The PPMA also credited recent government initiatives, particularly the regulatory guillotine reform, which has cut drug registration timelines from three to four years to just a few weeks, for reducing bureaucratic hurdles and improving ease of doing business. 

These measures, coupled with the deregulation of non-essential drugs and new fiscal incentives, have positioned Pakistan’s pharma industry as a competitive exporter in the $1.6 trillion global market.

Aurangzeb reaffirmed the government’s full support for the sector’s expansion, emphasizing that the broader economic strategy prioritizes export growth, investment attraction, and public-private collaboration. 

He assured that the Finance Ministry will continue to work with relevant institutions to resolve fiscal and regulatory bottlenecks.

“The pharmaceutical industry is not only delivering export growth but also ensuring access to affordable, quality medicines for our people,” the minister said.

Sustained coordination between the government and private sector would be key to realizing the ambitious export targets under the PharmEx Pakistan initiative, he added.

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